Apparatus for operating on brush stocks



Oct. 18, 1966 R. H. R. PARKER APPARATUS FOR OPERATING ON BRUSH STOCKS 5SheetsSheet 1 Filed Feb. 1, 1965 INVEHTOE R. .R. PARVJER v BY mwwwmm Mm1966 R. H. R. PARKER 3,279,358

APPARATUS FOR OPERATING 0N BRUSH STOCKS Filed Feb. 1, 1965 5Sheets-Sheet 2 ILLI INVENTOE RJ-MR PARKER By -m lvou s A'r-roamgyg Oct.18, 1966 R. H. R. PARKER APPARATUS FOR OPERATING ON BRUSH STOCKS 5Sheets-Sheet 5 Filed Feb. 1, 1965 Iuvezu-roe R. H R. PARKER {Hawkbukukdhmkois AT-rozpaw 5 Oct. 18, 1966 R. HVR. PARKER 3,279,358

APPARATUS FOR OPERATING ON BRUSH STOCKS Filed Feb. 1, 1965 5Sheets-Sheet 4 Fla. 7.

- Davao-roe R.H.R. PARKER BY Oct. 18, 1966 R. H. R. PARKER 3,279,858

APPARATUS FOR OPERATING ON BRUSH STOCKS Filed Feb. 1, 1965 5Sheets-Sheet 5 ZOCI I NVENTOR RJ-LRPARKER BY A-r-rceuaws United StatesPatent 3,279,858 APPARATUS FOR OPERATING ON BRUSH STOCKS Russell HenryRichard Parker, Portchester, England, assignor to J. Evans & Son(Portsmouth) Limited, Portsmouth, England, a British company Filed Feb.1, 1965, Ser. No. 429,312 Claims priority, application Great Britain,Feb. 7, 1964, 5,322/ 64 6 Claims. '(Cl. 300-11) This invention relatesto apparatus for positioning and clamping brush stocks in a brush makingmachine. More particularly the invention relates to apparatus adaptedautomatically to feed brush stocks into operative position with respectto jaws adapted .to clamp them while the brush stock is operated on, forexample, drilled or filled. The present invention provides apparatus forpositioning and clamping a brush stock in a brush making machinecomprising jaws for clamping the brush stock to be operated on by afilling or a drilling tool in the machine, means disposed rearwardly ofthe jaws for receiving a brush stock and a reciprocally mounted memberautomatically operable to feed the brush stock from said means to thejaws so as to be clamped thereby, the said means also serving as asupport for the brush stock while it is filled or drilled.

The feeding means may comprise a piston operable by fluid under pressurein timed sequence to the operation of drilling, filling or other toolsadapted to operate on the brush stocks such that at the completion ofthe said operation, the piston will be automatically actuated into itsoperative position to feed a brush stock into clamping engagement by thejaws, the new brush stock as it is fed being adapted to effect theejection from the clamping jaws of a brush stock which has previouslybeen operated on.

A magazine or hopper is preferably provided for automatically deliveringbrush stocks to means positioned rearwardly of the jaws when thereciprocating member is in its inoperative or retracted position.

The invention is particularly applicable fora continuous working brushmaking machine wherein drilling or filling tools are intermittentlyactuated to drill or fill brush stocks, the apparatus of the presentinvention serving to feed the brush stocks into clamping engagement bythe jaws at the end of a cycle of operations of the stools to completethe drilling or filling of the brush stock.

To enable the invention to be fully understood, it will now bedescribed, by way of example, with reference to the accompanyingdrawings in which:

FIGURE 1 is a diagrammatic representation, in side elevation, ofapparatus according to one embodiment of the invention;

FIGURE 2 is a section on the line AA of FIGURE 1, showing the feed meansin the forward operative position;

FIGURE 3 is a view similar to FIGURE 2, but showing the feed means in arearward inoperative position;

FIGURE 4 is a side elevation of the apparatus of FIG- URE 1;

FIGURE 5 is a plan view, partly in section, taken on line AA of FIGURE4;

FIGURE 6 is a side view of FIGURE 4;

FIGURE 7 is a sectional view on line BB of FIG- URE 5; and

FIGURE 8 is a sectional view on line CC of FIG URE 4.

In FIGURES 4 to 8, parts of the apparatus corresponding to thoseillustrated in FIGURES l to 3 are given similar reference numerals withdistinguishing indices.

As illustrated in FIGURES 1 to 3 of the drawings, the

3,279,858- Patented Oct. 18, 1966 apparatus comprises a support in theform of block 1, having a plate 2, secured as by bolts 3, to its frontface. Slide bars 4 are slidably mounted in the plate 2, one end of eachbar projecting outwardly of one end of the plate and being connected bya bridge piece 5. Each bar 4 has a jaw 6 secured thereto, the jaws beingin opposed relation and adapted to cooperate with a stationary jaw 7 toclamp a toothbrush indicated by a which is to be drilled or filled. Thejaws 6 are urged towards the stationary jaw 7 by springs 8 extendingbetween the bridge piece 5 and the plate 2 so that the brush stock isclamped by the jaws 6 extending into a reduced neck portion of the brushhandle so as to engage the inner end of the head. The arms which carrythe jaws 6 are urged towards the left, as viewed in FIGURE 1, andaccordingly the jaws urge the outer end of the head of the brush stockagainst the fixed jaw 7.

The block 1 is formed with stepped bores 9, 10, housing steppedportion-s of a piston 11, which portions of the pistons have O-rings 12,for forming a seal with the wall of the respective cylindrical bores.

The rear end of the bore 9 is closed by an end plate 13 formed with aport 14 for connection to a fluid pressure supply line. A second port 15is formed in the side wall of the block 1 opening into the bore 9adjacent the bore 10.

The piston 11 is machined to provide an extension 11a, having an axiallyextending bolster 16. The extension 11a is formed with flat surfaces 17,18, which extend through a suitably shaped aperture in a plate 19, sothat the extension is slidable in the aperture when the piston isreciprocated, the flat surfaces co-operating with the edges of theaperture in the plate 19 to prevent rotation of the piston.

A recess 20 is provided at the inner or rear face of the clamping jaws,and a magazine or hopper comprising laterally spaced channel-shapedguides 21, 22, is provided extending vertically of the block 1, thelower ends of the guides extending into the recess 20, and terminatingin spaced relation to a stop plate 23, which extends forwardly of thebolster 16.

It will be understood that the apparatus described will be mounted in abrush making machine including drilling and/or filling tools adapted tobe intermittently actuated to drill or fill brush stocks.

In the embodiment illustrated, it is assumed that predrilled brushstocks are to be filled with tufts of bristles, and accordingly in use,the magazine will be loaded with predrilled brush stocks a which will besupported by the channel guides 21, 22, in superposed relation. When theapparatus is to be started up, a brush stock will be loaded between thejaws by hand. To permit this loading, manually applied pressure isexerted on the bridge piece 5 to move it inwardly, against the action ofthe springs 8, towards the adjacent end of the plate 2. This movement ofthe bridge piece is transmitted to the bars 4 carrying the jaws 6 andthey are accordingly displaced further away from the fixed jaw 7 topermit the handle of the brush stock to be positioned in engagement withthe fixed jaw. The narrow neck portion of the handle of the brushadjacent the head, will be positioned between the jaws 6 and when thebridge piece 5 is released, the springs 8 will return it to the positionindicated in FIGURE 1 wherein, as shown, the jaws 6 will resilientlyengage the inner end of the head adjacent the neck and urge the outerend of the head against the fixed jaw 7. At the starting up of theapparatus, the piston 11 will be in its inward operative position asindicated in FIGURE 2, and it will be held in this position by fluidpressure supplied through the port 14 so that the bolster will engagethe back of the brush stock to support it while it is being filled.

Suitable mechanism in the machine automatically initiates the operationof the filling tool to insert tufts in the predrilled holes in the brushstock, and at the end of the cycle of operations necessary to completethe filling of a brush stock, fluid under pressure is admitted to theport 15, and port 14 opened to exhaust so that the piston is withdrawnto its rearward inoperative position as indicated in FIGURE 3, whereinit will be noted that the free end of the bolster is retracted clear ofthe recess 20, and the stop plate 23 extends transversely of the recessto receive the next brush stock which drops by gravity on to the plate.Fluid pressure is now admitted to the port 14, and the port 15 opened toexhaust so that the piston is moved forwardly and the bolster willengage the brush stock resting on the stop plate 23, and feed itforwardly. During this feeding movement the free end of the plate 23will slide into a gap under the head of the brush stock which is alreadyclamped by the jaws until the front face of the brush stock being fedabuts the rear face of the brush stock clamped by the jaws. Continuedforward movement of the piston 11 will causethe new brush stock to pushthe old brush stock forwardly through the jaws so that it is eventuallyejected and its place taken by the new brush stock. It will be notedthat the relative position of the jaws 6 cannot vary so long as partfore be ejected. At this time the new brush stock will be fullypositioned between and clamped by the jaws 6. It will be understood thatthe surfaces of the fixed and movable jaws will be smooth to permit thedisplace- :ment of the old brush stock through the jaws by the new brushstock. The forward movement of the piston is limited by the pistonengaging the plate 19. The newly clamped brush stock is filled by thefilling tool and the cycle of operations repeated.

In order to accommodate brush stocks of different length, the stationaryjaw 7 is mounted to enable it to be adjusted longitudinally of the plate2. For example, it may be mounted on a member slidable in a recess inthe plate 2, and clamped in adjusted position by a bolt 7a. For the samereason the channel guide 21 is mounted for adjustment towards and awayfrom the channel guide 22. As shown, the guide 21 is provided with alaterally extending arm 24 slidable in a slot in a member 25, the armbeing adapted to be clamped by a screw or bolt 26.

As illustrated in FIGURES 4 to 8, the apparatus comprises a block 1ahaving a plate 2a secured to its front face. Arms 27, 28 are mounted onthe rear face of the plate 2a so as to pivot about pins 27a, 28a. Thearm 27 has an extension 29 at one end projecting laterally of the plate2a, and the other end is formed with a portion 30 which comprises one oftwo opposed movable jaws. A spring 31 is provided serving to pivot thearm 27 to urge the movable jaw 30 towards the opposed movable jaw 32which is formed on the adjacent end of the arm 28. A spring (not shown)which is similar to the spring 31 is provided for pivoting the arm 28.Accordingly, the jaws are resiliently urged towards one another but arecapable of relative outward movement away from one another.

As in the first embodiment, the block 1a is formed with stepped bores9a, 10a housing stepped portions 11x, 11y of a piston.

The rear end of the bore 9 is closed by an end plate 13a and ports 14a,15a are provided in the side wall of the block respectivelycommunicating with the inner and outer faces of the head 33 of thepiston. Fluid under pressure is adapted to be supplied to the portsthrough connections 34, 35.

The forward end of the portion 11y of the piston has an axiallyextending bolster 16a, and the portion 11y is formed with flat faces17a, 18a extending through a suitably shaped aperture in a plate 19a sothat the portion 11y is slidable in the aperture but cahnot rotate.

A recess 20a is provided at the rear of the plate 2a and the jawscarried thereby and a magazine or hopper is provided for feeding brushstocks into the recess. As shown, the hopper comprises a pair ofsubstantially parallel spaced vertically extending guide plates 21a, asimilar pair of guide plates 22a, and end members 36, 37. The pair ofplates 21a is spaced laterally of the pair of plates 22a and the platesof each pair are spaced to define slots for guiding the brush stocks.The end member 36-is adjustably connected to a guide plate 21a by tierods 38, and an arm 39 is slidably mounted in a slot in a support 40,the inner end of the arm 39 being secured to the end member 36. When thelocking nuts on the tie rods are released, the end member 36 can beadjusted towards or away from the end member 37 by sliding the arm 39 inits slot so as to increase or decrease the effective width of the hopperas defined by the end members 36 and 37. The arm 39 is lockedin-adjusted position by a grub screw 39a.

The guide plates 22a are attached to slotted brackets 37a by screws 37b,the end member 37 extending through the slots in the brackets. Thebrackets 37a are slidably supported on transversely extending rails 41,41a, 41b so as to be adjustable lengthwise thereof for increasing ordecreasing the effective width of the hopper, the brackets being clampedin adjusted position by screws 42. It will be understood that the brushstocks will-be guided in the slots in the guide plates 21a, 22a, andthat the opposite ends of the brush stocks will abut the end members 36,37. As the axial length of the brushes may vary, the effective length ofthe hopper can be adjusted to accommodate different size brushes byadjusting either or both the said end members 36, 37.

The rails are pivotally supported on a vertically extending rod 43, andthe free-end of the rod 41a is provided with an aperture through whichextends the shank of a bolt 44, the shank extending into anarcuate-shaped slot 45 in a plate 46. This arrangement permits the guideplates 22a and end member 37 to be pivoted about the rod 43 in ahorizontal plane to position the said parts in angularly disposedrelation to the guide plates 21a and end member 36, the parts beingclamped in adjusted position by the bolt 44. This pivotal adjustment isdesirable Where the brush stocks, for example, for a tooth-brush, havetails which extend at an angle to the head which is to be drilled orfilled.

At the starting up of the brush making machine, the piston will be inthe position indicated in FIGURE 8, and it is held in that position byfluid under pressure admitted through the port 14a acting on the outerface of the piston head 33. Before the machine starts operating, anumber of predrilled brush stocks will be loaded into the hopper and itwill be understood that it will be necessary to position the first brushstock in the clamping jaws by hand. To facilitate this, the extension 29of the arm 27 is pivoted downwards about the pivot'27a so as to move thejaw 30 away from the jaw 32 to provide space to permit the insertion ofthe brush stock. When inserted, the end of the head of the brush stockwill be in abutment with the fixed jaw 71;, and the opposed movable jaws30, 32 will resiliently engage opposed surfaces of the tail adjacent thehead. The bolster 16a is positioned in abutment with the back of thebrush stock so that the latter is securely clamped and supported duringthe filling operation.

When the machine is started up, mechanism in the machine automaticallyeffe-ct-s the operation of the filling tool (not shown) to insert tuftsof bristles into the predrilled holes in the brush stock. At thecompletion of a cycle of operations to complete the filling of a brushstock, an automatically controlled valve permits the supply of fluidunder pressure through the connection 35 and port a to the inner face ofthe piston head 33, and simultaneously fluid under pressure acting onthe outer face of the head is exhausted so that the piston will beretracted into a position wherein the bolster is withdrawn from therecess a, leaving the support plate 23a extending into the recessbeneath the hopper to receive the next brush stock which falls bygravity from the hopper.

The control valve is then automatically operated to supply fluid underpressure to the outer face of the piston head and exhaust the fluidpressure acting on the inner face so that the piston is moved forwardlytowards the jaws. The end face of the bolster 16a engages the brushstock and feeds it forwardly until the front face of the new brush stockengages the rear face of the one that has just been filled and displacesit forwardly relative to the jaws until it is finally ejected, the newbrush stock being then positioned and clamped by the jaws. As moreparticularly illustrated in FIGURES 4 and 5, an arm 47 is attached toand extends laterally of the bolster 16a and has a cranked end 48adapted to engage a portion of the brush stock spaced from the head asthe brush stock is fed to the clamping jaws. The arm 47 accordinglyserves to maintain the brush stock in parallel relation to the jaws andprevents any tendency for the tail of the brush stock to tilt as it isfed forwardly.

When the filled brush stock is ejected from the jaws, it is deflecteddownwardly by the curved deflector 50 and falls into a suitablecontainer. A hook-shaped projection 51 provides an abutment which isstruck by the tail of the brush stock when it is ejected from the jawsand this ensures that the brush stocks drop substantially verticallyinto the container.

It will be understood that the embodiment illustrated in FIGURES 1 to 3may also be provided with a deflector and an abutment such as 50 and 51,and further the bolster 16 of FIGURES 1 to 3 may also be provided with aguide arm such as 47.

Further, in the embodiment illustrated in FIGURES 1 to 3, the guideplate 22 of the hopper may be adjustable to vary the effective width ofthe hopper and it may be mounted for pivotal movement similar to theguide plates 22a of the hopper illustrated in FIGURES 4 to 6. Stillfurther the jaw 711 may be adjustable in a similar manner to the jaw 7of FIGURES 1 to 3.

While both embodiments of the invention have been particularly describedfor filling tooth brush stocks, it will be understood that the inventionis equally applicable to drilling such brush stocks or for drilling orfilling other types of brush stocks.

It will be understood that in both embodiments after the apparatus hasbeen initially loaded by positioning a brush stock between the clampingjaws, the apparatus operates continuously to feed new brush stocks intoclamping engagement by the jaws in timed sequence to the operation ofthe filling tool so that a new brush stock is fed and clamped during thepause between successive operations of the tool.

Brush making machines may include any desired number of either of theapparatus described, each associated with a tool for operating on thebrush stocks. For exexample, it may include one or more pieces ofapparatus for feeding undrilled brush stocks to a drilling tool, and oneor more adapted to feed pre-drilled brush stocks to a filling tool.

for receiving a brush I claim:

1. A workholder assembly for a brush making machine comprising a base,fixed and movable jaws mounted on said base for clamping a brush stock,a piston slidable in a portion of said base spaced from said jaws, aloading chamber in said base located in a portion of the base betweensaid jaws and said piston, a brush stock support carried by said pistonand extending into said loading chamber for supporting therein a brushstock to be fed to said jaws and means for reciprocating said pistonwhile a brush stock is clamped between said jaws to move the supportbetween a loading position in said loading chamber and a feedingposition wherein a brush stock supported on said support is forcedbetween said jaws, said assembly being open on the side of said jawsopposite said piston so that as the brush stock positioned on saidsupport is moved from said loading position to said feeding position,the brush stock on said support engages, displaces, and finally ejectsto said open side the brush stock initially clamped between said jaws,said jaws being operative on the ejection of the brush stock to clampthe newly fed brush stock.

2. A workholder assembly as claimed in claim 1, wherein an abutment isprovided on said support which, when said support is in its feedingposition, prevents the return movement of the brush stock towards thesaid loading chamber.

3. A workholder asembly as claimed in claim 1, wherein a magazineextends into said loading chamber for feeding brush stocks on to saidsupport.

4. A workholder assembly as claimed in claim 1, wherein a deflector armis provided on said base adjacent to said jaws to deflect a brush stockoutwardly as it is ejected from between said jaws.

5. In a brush making machine, a workholder for a brush stock, a fixedjaw and a yieldable jaw on said workholder for clamping a brush stock,means for feeding brush stocks between said jaws and simultaneouslyejecting a brush stock clamped thereby comprising a feeder device, anabutment on said feeder device, means for reciprocating said feederdevice between a brush stock receiving position spaced from said jawsand a feeding position wherein said abutment is closely adjacent saidjaws, the feeder device in moving into said feeding position serving tocause said abutment to force the brush stock being fed between said jawswhereby it engages, displaces and finally ejects a brush stock initiallyclamped between said jaws.

6. A workholder assembly for a brush making machine comprising a base,fixed and movable jaws mounted on said base for clamping a brush stock,means for feeding brush stocks between said jaws so as to engage,displace, and finally eject a brush stock already clamped thereby, saidmeans comprising a piston and a brush stock support mounted on saidpiston, means for reciprocating said piston to move the support betweena loading position stock to be fed and a feeding position wherein saidpiston forces the brush stock being fed between said jaws thereby toengage, displace and finally eject a brush stock initially clamped bysaid jaws.

GRANVILLE Y. CUSTER, JR., Primary Examiner.

1. A WORKHOLDER ASSEMBLY FOR A BRUSH MAKING MACHINE COMPRISING A BASE,FIXED AND MOVABLE JAWS MOUNTED ON SAID BASE FOR CLAMPING A BRUSH STOCK,A PISTON SLIDABLE IN A PORTION OF SAID BASE SPACED FROM SAID JAWS, ALOADING CHAMBER IN SAID BASE LOCATED IN A PORTION OF THE BASE BETWEENSAID JAWS AND SAID PISTON, A BRUSH STOCK SUPPORT CARRIED BY SAID PISTONAND EXTENDING INTO SAID LOADING CHAMBER FOR SUPPORTING THEREIN A BRUSHSTOCK TO BE FED TO SAID JAWS AND MEANS FOR RECIPROCATING SAID PISTONWHILE A BRUCH STOCK IS CLAMPED BETWEEN SAID JAWS TO MOVE THE SUPPORTBETWEEN A LOADING POSITION IN SAID LOADING CHAMBER AND A FEEDINGPOSITION WHEREIN A BRUSH STOCK SUPPORTED ON SAID SUPPORT IS FORCEDBETWEEN SAID JAWS, SAID ASSEMBLY BEING OPEN ON THE SIDE OF SAID JAWSOPPOSITE SAID PISTON SO THAT AS THE BRUSH STOCK POSITIONED ON SAIDSUPPORT IS MOVED FROM SAID LOADING POSITION TO SAID FEEDING POSITION,THE BRUSH STOCK ON SAID SUPPORT ENGAGES, DISPLACES, AND FINALLY EJECTSTO SAID OPEN SIDE THE BRUSH STOCK INITIALLY CLAMPED BETWEEN SAID JAWS,SAID JAWS BEING OPERATIVE ON THE EJECTION OF THE BRUSH STOCK TO CLAMPTHE NEWLY FED BRUSH STOCK.